Oakley C. Curtis (courtesy Maine State Museum)
(1865-1924) of Portland was born March 29, 1865 and attended local public schools. He began work as a clerk for the Grand Trunk Railroad, then worked for a wholesale coal dealership, becoming its manager then president.
Curtis later focused on banking, emerging as president to two banks and serving on the boards of two others.
A strong Democrat, he was a member of each house of the legislature, an alderman, then Mayor of Portland (1911-1914). After defeating the split Republican Party and its candidate Carl E. Milliken in the election of 1914, he served as Governor from 1915 through 1917. His administration presided over legislation extending the school year and limiting the work week of women and boys under sixteen years of age to fifty-four hours per week.
In 1916, the Republicans repaired their differences and elected Milliken ousting Curtis.
He was a delegate to Democratic National Convention from Maine in 1916 and a candidate for U.S. Senator in 1922. Curtis died on February 22, 1924.
Additional resources
*Kennebec Journal, Augusta, February 23, 1924.
*Owen, Fred K. “Oakley C. Curtis,” Sprague’s Journal of Maine History, Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 67-70.
Sobel, Robert, and John Raimo, eds. Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. 2
———————-
*Cited in Friends of the Blaine House at http://blainehouse.org/governors(accessed April 25, 2011) (accessed April 25, 2011)